Montgomery Convicted Of Murder

Verdicr Gives Isleib Family Some Comfort

Less than an hour after Gayle Isleib's killer was found guilty Wednesday of murdering her outside her Manchester home, her family went to her grave to tell her the news.

But while the Hartford Superior Court jury's verdict against Tyrone Montgomery gave the Isleibs some relief, it brought them little else.

FOR THE RECORD - Correction was published October 3, 1997 on Page A2.* Tyrone Montgomery, who was found guilty Wednesday of murdering Manchester resident Gayle Isleib last year, still faces a count of attempted murder based on accusations that he trailed Isleib's husband to his job in East Hartford last December during a failed plan to kill him. Wednesday, Montgomery was acquitted of an attempted murder charge alleging that he tried to kill Doug Isleib on the night he shot Gayle Isleib, April 30, 1996. The status of the remaining charge was unclear in a story on Page A3 Thursday.

``It's a no-win situation for me and the family because we can never get Gayle back,'' said her husband, Doug Isleib, surrounded by about a dozen relatives and friends outside the courthouse. ``But we're happy that this individual will be off the streets so he can't hurt anybody else.''

The jury of seven men and five women deliberated for about two days before finding Montgomery guilty of murder and felony murder in the April 30, 1996, shooting of Isleib, a 54-year-old grandmother of nine.

Montgomery, 26, of Bloomfield, had worked with Isleib for about a year at the Wal-Mart store in Manchester, where police say he became obsessed with her and then killed her after she began to ignore him. Montgomery, who had remained all but expressionless during the two- week trial, showed no reaction as the verdicts were read about 4 p.m.

Some members of Isleib's family said the length of the deliberations had begun to worry them that Montgomery might be found not guilty.

``You sit there for one day and then another day and you start to think `What if?' '' Montgomery were acquitted, said Kris Schultz, one of Gayle Isleib's sons. ``This is a huge relief.''

None of the jurors could be reached for comment after the verdict.

Montgomery's parents, Dorothy and Robert Boggan, left the courthouse in tears and declined to speak with reporters. His attorney, Stephen Cashman of Hartford, would not comment.

Montgomery also was found not guilty of a count of attempted murder, which was brought on the basis of notes found in his car that allegedly outlined a plot to kill Doug Isleib, who was in the house when his wife was shot.

Doug Isleib said he is looking forward to that trial, for which no date has been set.

``I want [Montgomery] to suffer as much as possible,'' he said.

Prosecutor Dennis O'Connor credited the investigation done by Manchester police, which led to Montgomery's becoming a prime suspect less than 24 hours after the crime.

Police had compiled an array of circumstantial evidence against Montgomery, and also matched bullet casings found at the scene with some found in his bedroom.

``I'm thankful to the jury for its verdict and to the Manchester police for doing a wonderful job,'' O'Connor said.

Montgomery, who is jailed on $1.5 million bond, faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 28.